My 2021 facial injury still affecting how I eat — Osimhen

Super Eagles and Galatasaray forward, Victor Osimhen, has revealed the lasting effects of the facial injury he suffered in 2021, explaining why he continues to wear his protective mask four years after the incident.

In a video shared on X on Tuesday by user 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐆𝐑𝐍, the 26-year-old told Turkish outlet Fanatik that nerve damage from the injury still affects his ability to eat.

“Now, I only eat on the right side of my face,” he said. “I can’t eat through the other side. The left side doesn’t function properly anymore.”

Osimhen sustained the injury in November 2021 during a Serie A match between Napoli and Inter Milan after a collision with Milan Škriniar.

He suffered multiple facial fractures, including a broken cheekbone and eye socket, and required 18 screws and a titanium plate during reconstructive surgery.

Doctors initially feared he could lose vision in his left eye. Although he recovered, he said he has continued to experience numbness, and limited movement on the left side of his face.

Recalling the incident, he said, “A cross came in from the wing. I went up for the header, and he pulled his head back. It wasn’t intentional, but I hit his skull with my chin and the bone shattered everywhere.

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“They took me to a hospital in Milan. First, they checked with X-ray, then they ordered an MRI. The doctor said, ‘You need surgery.’ I refused at first — ‘There’s no way I’m having surgery.’ But it was the only way to continue playing football. I had no choice.”

He added, “I still feel numbness and sometimes pain. When I smile, only one side of my mouth moves fully. Eating is the biggest daily reminder; food falls out if I try to use the left side.”

Osimhen, currently at Galatasaray from Napoli, has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 15 appearances across competitions this season.

The protective mask, originally prescribed after surgery, has remained part of his equipment due to the lasting effects of the injury.